Ai Ogura declared fit for MotoGP return at Austrian Grand Prix

MotoGP medical staff have cleared Ai Ogura to return to action for Trackhouse Aprilia at the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, pending a final fitness check during Friday's opening practice session. The Japanese rider broke his thumb in a training accident following the British Grand Prix last month, and surgery ahead of the Aragon round forced him to miss both that race and the subsequent San Marino Grand Prix. His return follows intensive rehabilitation treatment in Barcelona.

Ogura revealed that advice from a doctor in Japan immediately following his accident delayed his surgery and cost him the chance to return earlier at Misano. The rider acknowledged that he will have to deal with pain while on the bike this weekend, but stated that the risk of causing further damage to his thumb is now significantly lower than it was a week ago.

The forced absence has significantly impacted Ogura's title pursuit. Having left Britain in third place and 37 points behind leader Jorge Martin, Ogura now sits sixth in the standings, 71 points off the lead, which Martin currently shares with Marc Marquez. During Ogura's absence, Trackhouse Aprilia fielded test rider Lorenzo Savadori as a replacement at Aragon and ran only Raul Fernandez for the San Marino race at Misano.